Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Escaping peril: perceived predation risk affects migratory propensity.

Hulthén, Kaj LU ; Chapman, Ben LU ; Nilsson, Anders LU orcid ; Vinterstare, Jerker LU orcid ; Hansson, Lars-Anders LU orcid ; Skov, Christian ; Brodersen, Jakob ; Baktoft, Henrik and Brönmark, Christer LU (2015) In Biology letters 11(8).
Abstract
Although migratory plasticity is increasingly documented, the ecological drivers of plasticity are not well understood. Predation risk can influence migratory dynamics, but whether seasonal migrants can adjust their migratory behaviour according to perceived risk is unknown. We used electronic tags to record the migration of individual roach (Rutilus rutilus), a partially migratory fish, in the wild following exposure to manipulation of direct (predator presence/absence) and indirect (high/low roach density) perceived predation risk in experimental mesocosms. Following exposure, we released fish in their lake summer habitat and monitored individual migration to connected streams over an entire season. Individuals exposed to increased... (More)
Although migratory plasticity is increasingly documented, the ecological drivers of plasticity are not well understood. Predation risk can influence migratory dynamics, but whether seasonal migrants can adjust their migratory behaviour according to perceived risk is unknown. We used electronic tags to record the migration of individual roach (Rutilus rutilus), a partially migratory fish, in the wild following exposure to manipulation of direct (predator presence/absence) and indirect (high/low roach density) perceived predation risk in experimental mesocosms. Following exposure, we released fish in their lake summer habitat and monitored individual migration to connected streams over an entire season. Individuals exposed to increased perceived direct predation risk (i.e. a live predator) showed a higher migratory propensity but no change in migratory timing, while indirect risk (i.e. roach density) affected timing but not propensity showing that elevated risk carried over to alter migratory behaviour in the wild. Our key finding demonstrates predator-driven migratory plasticity, highlighting the powerful role of predation risk for migratory decision-making and dynamics. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Biology letters
volume
11
issue
8
article number
20150466
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • pmid:26311158
  • wos:000362798100003
  • scopus:84946601324
  • pmid:26311158
ISSN
1744-9561
DOI
10.1098/rsbl.2015.0466
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
997eb3f7-7fd9-45e4-a2ff-3843afdfedea (old id 7834289)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:19:07
date last changed
2022-04-04 08:50:00
@article{997eb3f7-7fd9-45e4-a2ff-3843afdfedea,
  abstract     = {{Although migratory plasticity is increasingly documented, the ecological drivers of plasticity are not well understood. Predation risk can influence migratory dynamics, but whether seasonal migrants can adjust their migratory behaviour according to perceived risk is unknown. We used electronic tags to record the migration of individual roach (Rutilus rutilus), a partially migratory fish, in the wild following exposure to manipulation of direct (predator presence/absence) and indirect (high/low roach density) perceived predation risk in experimental mesocosms. Following exposure, we released fish in their lake summer habitat and monitored individual migration to connected streams over an entire season. Individuals exposed to increased perceived direct predation risk (i.e. a live predator) showed a higher migratory propensity but no change in migratory timing, while indirect risk (i.e. roach density) affected timing but not propensity showing that elevated risk carried over to alter migratory behaviour in the wild. Our key finding demonstrates predator-driven migratory plasticity, highlighting the powerful role of predation risk for migratory decision-making and dynamics.}},
  author       = {{Hulthén, Kaj and Chapman, Ben and Nilsson, Anders and Vinterstare, Jerker and Hansson, Lars-Anders and Skov, Christian and Brodersen, Jakob and Baktoft, Henrik and Brönmark, Christer}},
  issn         = {{1744-9561}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Biology letters}},
  title        = {{Escaping peril: perceived predation risk affects migratory propensity.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0466}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rsbl.2015.0466}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}